Matter and changes worksheet
Name: ___________________Group: _____
Part 1: Determine whether each of the following scenarios is a physical or a chemical change. List the
evidence you used to come up with the conclusion.
Scenario
1. A student removes a loaf of bread
hot from the oven. He cuts a slice off
the loaf and spreads butter on it.
2. Your friend decides to toast a piece
of bread, but leaves it in the toaster
too long. The bread is black now and
the kitchen if full of smoke.
3. You left the bread knife in the
bottom of the sink after you used it
and reddish brown spots appeared
on it.
Physical or
chemical change

The only thing that changed is the
shape from loaf to slice. It is still
bread.


The bread if black now. (burnt)
Release of smoke (new
substance)
Tastes bad now
Physical
Chemical

Chemical
4. When baking biscuits, the baking
soda releases carbon dioxide and
causes the dough to rise.
Chemical
5. You take out your best set of silver
spoons and notice that they are very
dull and have some black spots.
Chemical
6. A straight piece of wire is coiled to
form a spring.
Physical
7. A few drops of food coloring is
added to a cup of water to give it
color.
evidence

Brown spots (change of color,
suggesting new substance.)


Release of carbon dioxide.
After baking, the dough (not
edible) turned into biscuit (edible)

Black spots, suggesting formation
of new substance
Dull in appearance


The only thing that changed is the
shape from string to coil. The
material remains the same.

The only change is that the food
coloring became dispersed in
water. No new substance formed.
Still same color as food coloring

French fries changes from a long
slice into smaller pieces. They are
still French fries.

French fries is mainly starch.
Enzyme breaks it down to
sugar/glucose.
Physical
8. Chewing French fries to break them
down into smaller pieces
Physical
9. Enzymes in the digestive system
break down the French fries.
Chemical
10. You blow dry your wet hair.

Water evaporates from liquid to
gas. (If high heat damages the air,
then it is chemical change)

Release of light, heat and loud
explosion.
Powder in firework turned into
vapor.
Physical
11. During a 4th of July fireworks show,
the fireworks explode, giving off
beautiful colors.
Chemical

Part 2: Use your knowledge of physical and chemical changes to identify at least one way to
change the following substances physically or chemically
Substance
Physical change
Chemical change
Paper
Rip it, soak it
Burn it
Milk
Mix it with chocolate syrup /
warm it up (but not too hot)
Milk spoils, mix with orange
juice or vinegar
Iron nail
Bend it
rust
Wood
Chop it / paint it
Burn it
charcoal
Crush it
Burn it
apple
Cut into slices
Digest it
Baking soda
Mix into dough or
mix it with water
Bake it/heat it
Add vinegar to it
Part 3: physical or chemical property
boiling point
______Physical________________
ability to rust
______chemical________________
brittleness
______ Physical ________________
malleability
_______ Physical _______________
flammability
_______ chemical _______________
elasticity
______ Physical ________________
bounciness
______ Physical ________________
combustibility
______ chemical ________________
density
______ Physical ________________
transparency
______ Physical ________________
texture
_______ Physical _______________
Part 4: Vocabulary
Physical property:
Properties of matter that can be observed without changing the identity of a substance.
Chemical property:
Properties of matter that can only be observed when a substance is transformed into new
substances.
Physical change:
Physical changes are changes that don’t alter the identity of the substance undergoing the
change.
Chemical change:
Chemical changes are changes that result in the formation of new substances.